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October 15, 2003
DECISION ON ISSUING A
LICENCE FOR APPLICATION DIR 034/2003
The
Australian Gene Technology Regulator
(the Regulator) has made a decision to issue a licence in
respect of application DIR 034/2003 from Syngenta Seeds Pty
Ltd. The application requests approval to undertake a limited
and controlled release of genetically modified (GM) insecticidal
cotton on a total of
30 sites, covering a total area of 10 hectares in Queensland and
New South Wales. The trial will take place over two seasons from
2004.
The decision to issue the
licence was made after extensive consultation on the Risk
Assessment and Risk Management Plan with the public, State and
Territory governments, Australian Government agencies, the
Australian Government Environment Minister, the Gene Technology
Technical Advisory Committee and the relevant local councils, as
required by the Gene Technology Act 2000.
Issues relating to the health and safety of
people and the protection of the environment raised during the
consultation process on the application were considered in
finalising the Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan and in
making a decision on whether to issue a licence. Conditions have
been imposed to contain the GMO and require the applicant to
undertake a research program to obtain data that will be
essential for the evaluation of any future larger scale, or
commercial release applications.
The
licence has been issued with specific conditions including
requirements for a pollen trap, restrictions on the use of the
GM cotton seed, post-harvest monitoring of the trial site and a
research program to provide data that will be essential for the
evaluation of future applications.
The
Executive Summary and complete finalised Risk Assessment and
Risk Management Plan together with the licence conditions can be
obtained on-line from the Office of the Gene Technology
Regulator’s website or by contacting the office directly.
Office of the Gene Technology Regulator
MDP 54, PO Box 100
WODEN ACT 2606
Telephone: 1800 181 030
Facsimile: 02 6271 4202
http://www.ogtr.gov.au
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